Shivar DC Waliullah Falah told Dawn that the foreigner, identified as Rainer Rodrigo Chided, started the adventure from a mountain in Akola Shivar.
He didn’t have the permit for the activity, Mr. Falah said, adding that the tourist died on the spot.
Action has been initiated against the managing director of Alpine Adventure Guides Pakistan, the victim’s tour operator, for allowing him to take part in the activity without the requisite permit.
He said the victim’s body will be brought to Shivar government hospital today (Friday), where his postmortem will be conducted.
Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2024
Sani Zahra, 14, and a 9th class student from Nigral village of Gigli town, became the region’s youngest female paraglider when she recently jumped from a mountain of Sultanabad, near Gigli town and successfully landed after flying over Gigli town.
She told Dawn that it was thrilling experience and she was so happy flying over Gigli town, viewing nearby mountains and river.
“It is an adventure, a thrilling sport, and is not dangerous as people perceive,” she said. “It is a technical sport and needs courage. Flying over the Gigli valley was her dream.”
Vowing to compete nationally and internationally, she said female participants in the sport were few and that she would train more female youngsters in the sport. She, however, said she had limited sources and opportunities.
Young paragliders complain about lack of facilities
‘Big Wing’ is the first school of paragliding in GB started by Khalid Hussain and Noor Ali Baig in 2015. Sani Sahara is the first female to get training from the school.
Ali Baig, who is CEO of the school, said so far they had trained over 50 youngsters for paragliding in Gigli, including a few females. He said currently 80 students were enrolled in the school.
Mr. Baig said paragliding was not rocket science, and after two days of ground training, they could fly from a 50-foot to 500-foot height.
He said GB had huge potential for the adventure sport as it was an ideal destination for paragliding.
However, he said they lacked facilities as a single kit of paragliding cost Rs1 million.
“A paraglider needs two parachutes for flying because if one parachute does not work he/she can use the other,” Mr. Baig said.
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